INFJ Personality (“The Advocate”)

The INFJ personality type is very rare, making up less than one percent of the population, but they nonetheless leave their mark on the world. As Diplomats, they have an inborn sense of idealism and morality, but what sets them apart is the accompanying Judging (J) trait – INFJs are not idle dreamers, but people capable of taking concrete steps to realize their goals and make a lasting positive impact.

INFJs tend to see helping others as their purpose in life, but while people with this personality type can be found engaging rescue efforts and doing charity work, their real passion is to get to the heart of the issue so that people need not be rescued at all.

Help Me Help You

INFJs indeed share a unique combination of traits: though soft-spoken, they have very strong opinions and will fight tirelessly for an idea they believe in. They are decisive and strong-willed, but will rarely use that energy for personal gain – INFJs will act with creativity, imagination, conviction and sensitivity not to create advantage, but to create balance. Egalitarianism and karma are very attractive ideas to INFJs, and they tend to believe that nothing would help the world so much as using love and compassion to soften the hearts of tyrants.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Martin Luther King

INFJs find it easy to make connections with others, and have a talent for warm, sensitive language, speaking in human terms, rather than with pure logic and fact. It makes sense that their friends and colleagues will come to think of them as quiet Extraverted types, but they would all do well to remember that INFJs need time alone to decompress and recharge, and to not become too alarmed when they suddenly withdraw. INFJs take great care of other’s feelings, and they expect the favor to be returned – sometimes that means giving them the space they need for a few days.

Live to Fight Another Day

Really though, it is most important for INFJs to remember to take care of themselves. The passion of their convictions is perfectly capable of carrying them past their breaking point and if their zeal gets out of hand, they can find themselves exhausted, unhealthy and stressed. This becomes especially apparent when INFJs find themselves up against conflict and criticism – their sensitivity forces them to do everything they can to evade these seemingly personal attacks, but when the circumstances are unavoidable, they can fight back in highly irrational, unhelpful ways.

To INFJs, the world is a place full of inequity – but it doesn’t have to be. No other personality type is better suited to create a movement to right a wrong, no matter how big or small. INFJs just need to remember that while they’re busy taking care of the world, they need to take care of themselves, too.

It's really great to read all these comments as I find myself nodding along to every word ! The way there are so many people here (even though we are apparently the rarest type!) offering advice and help is good to see and I'm proud to be a part of it. I have also always wondered why I love being with my family and close friends, and am usually outgoing, funny and happy, but when we go out and meet new people I have nothing to say. As someone else has said here also, I've tried to be more extroverted but it is definitely draining. However I have become happier within myself and more accepting as I have met more accepting and non judgemental people. I hope we can all make the world a better place, and I am not comparing us to fellow INFJs Mandela or King (although I am humbled to be grouped with them!) but as kind people who really do want to help others.

Xedhadeaus

5 years ago

Honestly, I would have expected more people to have this personality. Lately the people I've seen only care about how they sleep at night, and that's exactly the outlook I have when making decisions. I found most if not all of the questions to be about picking your battles, or simply lending a hand. If there's only one percent of people out there like that then I can now understand why the introverted sense is there. Everything else about the personality is outgoing in a passionate sense, until it comes to stepping out and actually relating to others. I'm actually quite surprised.

Nailea

5 years ago

This is awesome i really felt like the oddball at times and as if i was crazy for liking to be alone and thinking to myself 50% of the time. But don't get me wrong i like to socialize a lot as well. But it makes perfect sense as to why i want to make a difference in the world. Nice to know im different and not just crazy..haha. And the work first play later is definately me, i rather not have work on my mind while im doing something relaxing. yayay go INFJ's haha

Al

5 years ago

People often say I am different and it has annoyed me for me years. I think we all ultimately want the same things. But reading this I think I finally understand what they mean. This is me to a t and I doubt I've ever met another INFJ irl. I'm no Martin Luther King but I do feel a powerful draw to activism, I want very much foster a positive change in the world. It is the focus of my life really, though I don't think I'd ever tell anyone around me that. We all deserve and owe each other better. Hmm. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with being different. Maybe it just is.

Ib

5 years ago

I've never felt this special about myself before.... less than 1%, interesting. All of the materials listed here describe my personality. I indeed do hate conflict! And can get extremely heated if not careful about my feelings..